Mortarless tile installation system and method for installing tiles

Abstract

The tile installation system provides a system for installing an architectural covering material to a substrate surface utilizing a plurality of release sheets where each release sheet has a top side surface and a bottom side surface. A plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are positioned on the top side surface of the release sheet, wherein the top side surface of the release sheet has a stronger bonding affinity with the plurality of adhesive substrate portions than the bottom side surface.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing an adhesive sheet having at least one of glue ridges, dots, beads, cylinders, and permanently adhering the adhesive sheet to a tile, the method comprising the steps of:
 thermoforming a release sheet such that it forms a mold having indentations for adhesive; 
 distributing liquid adhesive in a single layer into and across the release liner to fill the thermoformed indentations in the thermoformed release liner; 
 joining the single layer of adhesive on an adhesive side of the adhesive sheet to the tile; and 
 molding the edges of the adhesive sheet around the tile with a thermoforming machine. 
 
     
     
       2. A method of molding a thermoplastic sheet, the method comprising the steps of:
 molding a thermoplastic sheet to provide indentations in a preferred shape to form a mold; 
 coating the mold with a temporary pressure sensitive adhesive; 
 depositing a permanent adhesive into the mold to leave a thin layer of the permanent adhesive on the top of the adhesive sheet; 
 sticking the thin permanent adhesive layer to the tile back to adhere the adhesive sheet to the tile; 
 applying the tile to a substrate; 
 separating the thermoplastic mold from the adhesive at the temporary pressure sensitive adhesive layer; 
 pressing the tile onto the substrate to permanently affix the tile. 
 
     
     
       3. An installation system for installing architectural covering material to a substrate surface, comprising:
 a release sheet and a plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions positioned on the release sheet; 
 wherein each discrete adhesive substrate portion comprises an adhesive material having a shell layer and an adhesive core layer, wherein the shell layer is rupturable to facilitate adhesion; 
 wherein the core layer of the discrete adhesive contains a permanent adhesive and is applied via rupturing of the shell layer; and 
 wherein the shell layer is a non-adhesive layer; 
 wherein the release sheet has a top side surface and a bottom side surface, and wherein the top side surface has a stronger bonding affinity with the discrete adhesive substrate portions than the bottom side surface, wherein the bottom side surface is releasable from the discrete adhesive substrate when in contact therewith. 
 
     
     
       4. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the core layer of the adhesive material comprises a permanent gel material. 
     
     
       5. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the core layer of the adhesive material comprises a permanent viscous material. 
     
     
       6. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the release sheet is stored in a roll. 
     
     
       7. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the release sheet is formed from a polymer. 
     
     
       8. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the release sheet is formed from a sheet material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, woven polyester, woven fiberglass, non-woven polyester, non-woven fiberglass. 
     
     
       9. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are pressure sensitive and are formed in the shape of one of a sphere, ellipsoid and cylindrical. 
     
     
       10. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are spaced apart in a pattern. 
     
     
       11. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are spaced apart on a grid. 
     
     
       12. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are spaced apart in a pattern and are at least partially cylindrical. 
     
     
       13. The installation system of  claim 12 , wherein the discrete adhesive portions have ends, the space between ends of adjacent discrete adhesive portions being less than or equal to ⅜ inch. 
     
     
       14. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are spaced apart in a pattern in which there is a gap of between 0.1 inch and 1.0 inch between discrete adhesive substrate portions. 
     
     
       15. The installation system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are spaced apart in a pattern in which there is a gap of between ¼ inch and ⅜ inch between adjacent discrete adhesive substrate portions in at least one direction. 
     
     
       16. The installation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discrete adhesive substrate portions are provided on an adhesive mat. 
     
     
       17. The installation system of  claim 16 , wherein the mat includes an adhesive layer on a first side and the discrete adhesive substrate portions on a second side. 
     
     
       18. The installation system of  claim 17 , wherein the installation system further includes a second release layer, which covers the adhesive layer that is on the first side of the mat. 
     
     
       19. The installation system of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the release sheets is provided with a grid. 
     
     
       20. The installation system of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive mat has a tensile strength of at least 2.5 psi after 24 hours and a tensile strength of over 5.0 psi after seven days.